Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device for preventing water inflow into an aircraft through an air pressure regulating valve in the occasion of emergency landing on water.
Related Art
An aircraft is equipped with an air pressure regulating valve, and the air pressure inside the aircraft during flight is regulated by controlling the opening of the valve. The air pressure regulating valve is usually installed in the lower portion of an aircraft body and the valve opening is maintained to be large when the altitude is low. There is therefore a possibility that sea water flows into the aircraft through the air pressure regulating valve when, for example, the aircraft lands on sea in the event of an emergency accident.
It is possible for a pilot to execute the operation of closing the air pressure regulating valve in the occasion of emergency landing on water. It is, however, supposed that the operation of closing the air pressure regulating valve would not be executed at once since the pilot has to execute other operations of higher priority than the operation of closing the valve in order to manage the emergency situation. In that case, the aircraft suffers a flood through the air pressure regulating valve having a large opening maintained, and it becomes difficult to secure the time for the passengers and crews to safely escape.
To cope with the above problem, it is proposed in Japanese Utility Model, publication No. 03-67296 to provide a buoyant force to an aircraft in the occasion of emergency landing on water by installing bag-like cushion seats and gas supply devices for supplying gas to the cushion seats. The cushion seats and gas supply devices are provided in the lower portion of the body and also on the underside of the wings of the aircraft.